A mindfulness-based group psychoeducational intervention targeting sexual arousal disorder in women.
Lori A Brotto, Rosemary Basson, Mijal Luria
The Journal of Sexual Medicine July 2008 DOI: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2008.00850.x (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pre-post intervention study (uncontrolled pilot) Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 26 |
| Population | Women with sexual desire/interest disorder and/or sexual arousal disorders unrelated to cancer |
| Duration | Three 90-minute sessions spaced 2 weeks apart; assessments before and after the group |
| Measures | vaginal pulse amplitude, self-report questionnaires of sexual response, sexual distress, mood, and relationship satisfaction |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | A three-session group mindfulness-based psychoeducation intervention was followed by significant improvement in sexual desire and sexual distress and by a positive effect on self-assessed genital wetness despite little or no change in physiological arousal. Women with a history of sexual abuse improved significantly more than those without on mental sexual excitement, genital tingling/throbbing, arousal, overall sexual function, sexual distress, and negative affect during an erotic film, with a trend toward greater depression improvement. The authors describe these data as preliminary support. |
Abstract
Despite their widespread prevalence, there are no existing evidence-based psychological treatments for women with sexual desire and arousal disorder. Mindfulness, the practice of relaxed wakefulness, is an ancient eastern practice with roots in Buddhist meditation which has been found to be an effective component of psychological treatments for numerous psychiatric and medical illnesses. In recent years, mindfulness has been incorporated into sex therapy and has been found effective for genital arousal disorder among women with acquired sexual complaints secondary to gynecologic cancer. The aim of this study was to adapt an existing mindfulness-based psychoeducation (PED) to a group format for women with sexual desire/interest disorder and/or sexual arousal disorders unrelated to cancer. Twenty-six women participated in three 90-minute sessions, spaced 2 weeks apart, with four to six other women. Group PED was administered by one mental health trained provider and one gynecologist with post graduate training and experience in sexual medicine. Prior to and following the group, women viewed audiovisual erotic stimuli and had both physiological (vaginal pulse amplitude) and subjective sexual arousal assessed. Additionally, they completed self-report questionnaires of sexual response, sexual distress, mood, and relationship satisfaction. There was a significant beneficial effect of the group PED on sexual desire and sexual distress. Also, we found a positive effect on self-assessed genital wetness despite little or no change in actual physiological arousal, and a marginally significant improvement in subjective and self-reported physical arousal during an erotic stimulus. A follow-up comparison of women with and without a sexual abuse history revealed that women with a sexual abuse history improved significantly more than those without such history on mental sexual excitement, genital tingling/throbbing, arousal, overall sexual function, sexual distress, and on negative affect while viewing the erotic film. Moreover, there was a trend for greater improvement on depression scores among those with a sexual abuse history. These data provide preliminary support for a brief, three-session group psychoeducational intervention for women with sexual desire and arousal complaints. Specifically, women with a history of sexual abuse improved more than women without such a history. Participant feedback indicated that mindfulness was the most effective component of the treatment, in line with prior findings. However, future compartmentalization trials are necessary in order to conclude this more definitively.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 22
- A systematic review of neurobiological and clinical features of mindfulness meditations Psychological Medicine November 27, 2009
- Effects of Mindfulness Training on Body Awareness to Sexual Stimuli Psychosomatic Medicine November 1, 2011
- What is orgasm? A model of sexual trance and climax via rhythmic entrainment. Socioaffective neuroscience & psychology 2016
- A treatment model for anxiety-related sexual dysfunctions using mindfulness meditation within a sex-positive framework Sexual & Relationship Therapy February 23, 2015
- A virtual, group-based mindfulness intervention for midlife and older women with low libido lowers sexual distress in a randomized controlled pilot study The Journal of Sexual Medicine June 23, 2023
and 17 more in the library
Cites 6
- Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Neuroreport November 7, 2005
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression August 21, 2006
- Attending to the present: mindfulness meditation reveals distinct neural modes of self-reference Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience August 13, 2007
- Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction as supportive therapy in cancer care: systematic review Journal of Advanced Nursing September 29, 2005
- Meditation states and traits: EEG, ERP, and neuroimaging studies. Psychological Bulletin March 2006
and 1 more in the library